England yet again have no answer to Brad Haddin as their experiences on day
one of the Sydney Test neatly encapsulate a miserable Ashes campaign

Ben Stokes admitted England failed to apply enough pressure and allowed Brad Haddin the chance to launch another counter-offensive as Australia ended the first day of the fifth Test sensing they can deliver an Ashes whitewash.

The morning started with Haddin lining up for the national anthem with his two-year-old daughter Mia, who is in remission from cancer, and rumours swirling that he will retire at the end of this Test on his home ground.

Australia denied talk of retirement and Haddin again showed his importance to the team at the age of 36 with his fifth consecutive first-innings score of over 50 in the series, as the last five wickets added 229 to lift the score from a perilous 90-5 to 326. Haddin got off the mark with a four and played his usual aggressive style along with Steve Smith, who scored his second hundred of the series and third against England in six Tests.

"We started really well, getting them 90 for five, but Haddin and Smith counter-attacked and they ended up getting 50 or 60 more than we would have liked," said Stokes.

"We just need to start stringing more dot balls and maidens together which creates pressure. We did it this morning when we had them 90 for five. Pressure creates more chances and the more pressure we build the more luck we will have.

"Quite a lot has gone his [Haddin's] way but he has played his natural game and has taken every chance to get runs and played well. When he came in today and hits you over your head you think this is not meant to happen."

England’s attempt to stymy another tailend fightback was not helped by the loss of Boyd Rankin, who twice left the field clutching an injury to his left hamstring, but was later diagnosed as suffering from cramp after a scan showed no muscle damage. He is expected to bowl in the second innings.

England have had doubts over Rankin’s fitness to bowl long spells in Test cricket but it I surprising he suffered from cramp on a temperate summer’s day in Sydney rather than the furnace-like temperatures of the Waca last month where he was nearly picked to play in the third Test.

He had bowled just eight overs when he pulled up for the first time, and Stuart Broad had to complete his over, as Rankin left for treatment in the dressing room. He returned after lunch to field at mid on but bowled just one more delivery when he went off for the final time. This is Rankin’s first bowl since the warm-up match in Alice Springs over a month ago which, combined with a heavy, sandy outfield, did not help. He spent a long period before play working with the medical team, watched closely by Andy Flower, but England denied it was a fitness test and was a normal warm-up routine for a big fast bowler who takes a while to get his body in the right shape before a day’s play.

"He is fine, just a bit of cramp which is pretty normal in Australia heat and he should be good to go in the next bowling innings," said Stokes.

England began the day by dropping Joe Root and picking three debutants. Root was left out for Gary Ballance, his Yorkshire colleague, after an indifferent seven Tests since his 180 at Lord’s against Australia in July. Root will be back but sources have indicated his dropping may be also partly have been Flower reminding a young, cocky player who is the boss.

Stokes bowled almost 20 overs, his biggest workload of the series, taking 6-99, which was only his second five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, a feat which followed his hundred in his second Test and confirmed his place as England's only good news story of the tour.

"Hopefully the guys who will represent England in the future can do as good a job as this group has done over the last four or five years and hopefully I will be part of that," he said, before adding his bowling is "improving" but he still considers his batting his strength.

Stokes jousted verbally again with Haddin who is revelling in the sledging battle with England bowlers, particularly James Anderson.

"Brad was great out there. I took a back seat and watched him go," said Smith. "It is always tough to bowl to someone when they are coming at you the way he was.

"The way he has struck the ball the whole series, I am not sure how you bowl to him. He enjoys getting into banter on the field and he thrives when England go at him and he has done it beautifully all series."